Submitted by Minakshi dd
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We had the opportunity to do sankirtan at a Banquet Hall where there was a Diwali Event.
We got there at 5:30pm and met with resistance by one of the management as soon as we walked in. However, we perservered and were able to get our table and get things setup. Everyone was cooperative except for this one fellow we will call 'Angry Man' who had many objections - only 1 table, only in this corner, No picture of Srila Prabhupada, No picture of Radha Gopinatha, no distributing beyond your table and so on!
Anyhow, with the help of Mayur Prabhu, Vicky Prabhu, Jessica Mataji, Radhapriya and myself we kept approaching everyone and trying our best.
I will relate a wonderful story. We were approaching many people and Mayur began speaking with one girl probably around 16 or 17 years old. She really loved the Bhagavad Gita and wanted it badly, but did not have any money; she asked her mother and brother and both did not have (or want to give). Suddenly it was realized that this girl is the daughter of this man who was objecting and indeed getting very angry at us. So Mayur really wanted to get this Bhagavad Gita to this girl and told her just take it and have it. She took the book. Later in the lobby as we were packing up I went over to our 'Angry Man' to soften him and 'thank' him. His daughter was right next to him and across from me. She opened the Gita and asked me "Is this Hindi?" I told her no this is Sanskrit and then here is the phonetic English - the first word of the verse happened to be 'evam' and that this is the word by word translation such as evam=thus. Suddenly our 'Angry Man' looked over and saw the Bhagavad Gita in his daughter's hands - the shock on his face was priceless. So I told him that she really wanted the book, fell in love with it but did not have money so we gave it to her as a gift. He got a little embarrased and asked how much is it - we said, no it is a gift - but he pulled out a $10 bill and handed it to us! Thus despite all his offensive efforts to block Srila Prabhupada's Sankirtan Movement, a Bhagavad Gita ended up in his household!
We got there at 5:30pm and met with resistance by one of the management as soon as we walked in. However, we perservered and were able to get our table and get things setup. Everyone was cooperative except for this one fellow we will call 'Angry Man' who had many objections - only 1 table, only in this corner, No picture of Srila Prabhupada, No picture of Radha Gopinatha, no distributing beyond your table and so on!
Anyhow, with the help of Mayur Prabhu, Vicky Prabhu, Jessica Mataji, Radhapriya and myself we kept approaching everyone and trying our best.
I will relate a wonderful story. We were approaching many people and Mayur began speaking with one girl probably around 16 or 17 years old. She really loved the Bhagavad Gita and wanted it badly, but did not have any money; she asked her mother and brother and both did not have (or want to give). Suddenly it was realized that this girl is the daughter of this man who was objecting and indeed getting very angry at us. So Mayur really wanted to get this Bhagavad Gita to this girl and told her just take it and have it. She took the book. Later in the lobby as we were packing up I went over to our 'Angry Man' to soften him and 'thank' him. His daughter was right next to him and across from me. She opened the Gita and asked me "Is this Hindi?" I told her no this is Sanskrit and then here is the phonetic English - the first word of the verse happened to be 'evam' and that this is the word by word translation such as evam=thus. Suddenly our 'Angry Man' looked over and saw the Bhagavad Gita in his daughter's hands - the shock on his face was priceless. So I told him that she really wanted the book, fell in love with it but did not have money so we gave it to her as a gift. He got a little embarrased and asked how much is it - we said, no it is a gift - but he pulled out a $10 bill and handed it to us! Thus despite all his offensive efforts to block Srila Prabhupada's Sankirtan Movement, a Bhagavad Gita ended up in his household!
Another quick incident - I was speaking with an older gentleman and showing him the books by Srila Prabhupada. It turns out that he was a professor in Nairobi and had read the Bhagavad Gita As It Is. He said he has ready many many books by others and the power of ISKCON is Srila Prabhupada's books bacause of their purity and authencity. We couldn't agree more!
We left the Banquet Hall at 1:30 am and then proceeded to Vicky Prabhu's home where his mother kindly had wonderful prasadam prepared for us.
Totals for this event: 115 Books including lots of Big Books and $900 Collected.
We left the Banquet Hall at 1:30 am and then proceeded to Vicky Prabhu's home where his mother kindly had wonderful prasadam prepared for us.
Totals for this event: 115 Books including lots of Big Books and $900 Collected.
Thank you to all the devotees that helped in the service of Srila Prabhupada!
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